musical chairs

last night i entered a musicals chair competition and won a free bus pass with Oz Experience from Cairns to Brisbane/Byron Bay! amazing because i was just about to book my transportation today! Oz Experience is a little different from the Greyhound or Premier bus (which are just plain simple transportation). Oz Experience is kinda half tour, half bus - only backpackers travel with them and they promote a fun, social atmosphere in addition to providing historical commentary on the journey. its also less flexible than standard transportation, there arnt buses from each stop every day, let alone several times a day - you have to work your schedule around their schedule. there are also a few mandatory overnight stops i wasnt planning on. however, since my plans are so flexible as they are, i figure this could be a really fun addition to my trip down the east coast! the additions i put into my travels are 2 nights in townsville, which is the launching point for this really cool dive sight of a sunken ship that has turned into an artificial reef. also added on is a mandatory overnight in the 'outback' (not far from the coast in actuality) which includes staying at a ranch, eating a 'bush dinner' by the fire, and helping round up the sheep in the evening. should be a very cool experience! and all for free because of my previously undiscovered talent in playing musical chairs :)

as for the next decision - where and when to get my dive certification...